Liner assembly



May 5, 1970 H. VON BECKMAN ETAL 6 LINER ASSEMBLY Filed April 2-, 1968 3Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS HE4LMUTH VON BECKMANN a uoo RIGA ATTORNEYS.

May 5, 1970 H. VON BECKMAN ETAL 3,510,106

I LINER ASSEMBLY Filed April 2, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS ELMUTHVON BECKMANN 18 U00 RIGA f BY ATTORNEYS.

y 5, 1970 VON BECKMAN ETAL 3,510,106

LINER ASSEMBLY Filed April 2. 1968 s Sheets-Sheet a ifg 25 a A .2 26a 35/ WW F 1 T 7. INVENTORS HELMUTH VON BECKMANN a U00 RIGA AT ORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,510,106 LINER ASSEMBLY Helmuth von Beckman,Columbia, SC, and Udo Riga, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, assignors toTamper Inc., Columbia, SC.

Filed Apr. 2, 1968, Ser. No. 718,114 Claims priority,applicailiirgrgsCanada, Feb. 1, 1968,

Int. 01.15011) 29/22 US. Cl. 254-43 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to apparatus forrailway track maintenance operations, and in particular to a linerassembly for horizontally aligning track without affecting its gauge.

As is well known in the art, railway tracks undergo periodic operationsfor maintaining the track correctly positioned in both the vertical andthe horizontal planes; such maintenance operations are called surfacingfor the correction of bumps and depressions, and alignment for thestraightening of bends in the track caused by lateral slipping thereof.These maintenance operations are generally performed by a trackmaintenance machine which rides along the track and corrects itincrementally in a step-by-step manner.

Track alignment operations are carried out by track liners which. clamponto both rails and throw the track laterally to a corrected position bythe action of hydraulic jacks.

Until now, difficulty has been experienced with use of clamping devicesdue to the fact that the spacing of the rails of a track varies fromspot to spot and is deliberately varied in curved sectionssometimes byas much as 1%. inches-to provide for better train wheel motion incurves. It is, of course, necessary to maintain the required railspacing whilst conducting an alignment operation and this presentsproblems.

Prior clamping devices were generally in the form of two sets ofarticulated jaws mounted on a transverse frame member with apredetermined factor of sloppiness such that the distance between themcould be varied slightly to correspond approximately to the rail spacingof the track to be clamped. However, the general tendency was to bendone of the rails slightly to accommodate for the variation in railspacing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention there isprovided, for mounting on a track maintenance machine, a liner assemblycomprising a frame; means for mounting said frame on said machineincluding means for displacing the frame generally vertically and meansfor displacing the frame laterally of said machine; a pair of innerteeth depending from said frame in a fixed transversely spaced apartrelationship on one side of said frame, each inner tooth presenting arail engaging surface which is arranged to project at a wedging angletowards the inner ice edge of a rail; and a pair of outer teethdepending from said frame in a fixed transversely spaced apartrelationship on the other side of said frame, each outer toothpresenting a rail engaging surface which is arranged to project at awedging angle towards the outer edge of a rail; said frame being free torock about a horizontal axis transverse to said track, thereby, uponlowering of said frame structure into engagement with said track, toallow said frame to assume an angular position in which the mean valueof the two distances between the rail engaging regions of the engagingsurfaces of said pairs of inner and outer teeth equals the spacing ofthe rails of the track being clamped.

Stated differently, we provide two pairs of generally downwardlyprojecting rail engaging surfaces which are disposed in a generallyrectangular configuration so as to make wedging contact with the fouredges of a pair of rails. One pair of surfaces engages the inner edgesof the rails at one place and the other engages the outer edges of therails a short distance away. Although the distances between the surfacescannot be changed, the distances between the two lines of contact ofeach pair of surfaces can be varied by simply shifting these lines onthe respective surfaces provided both surfaces at one side areconvergent and both surfaces at the other side of the frame structureare divergent.

Consequently, it is now possible to rigidly secure these teeth to theframe of the assembly; and by allowing relative displacement of theseteeth in opposite vertical directions, as by allowing free rockingmotion of the frame structure transversely of the track, the mean valueof the distances between the opposite lines of contact willautomatically become equal to the rail spacing upon lowering of theassembly onto the rails.

In an embodiment of the present invention there is provided a linerassembly wherein a resiliently suspended flanged wheel is provided undereach end of the assembly so that when the track maintenance vehiclemoves these wheels roll on the track and prevent accidental wedgeengagement of the clamping means with the rails and keep the assemblyproperly centered on the rails.

Moreover we preferably provide an additional pair of teeth on at leastone of the transverse frame members, so that for a majority of trackwhere the rail spacing is equivalent to the track gauge both edges ofeach rail are engaged by the teeth of the same transverse frame member.

Furthermore, a liner assembly in accordance with the present inventionpreferably includes means in the form of hydraulic jacks to move theassembly relative to the track maintenance vehicle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING In drawings which illustrate the basicprinciple, and a preferred embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation in perspective of a liner assemblyclamping means in accordance with this invention,

FIGS. 2 and 3 are front and end views of the schematic representation ofFIG. 1 in a first angular position,

FIGS. 4 and 5 are front and end views of the schematic representation ofFIG. 1 in a second angular position,

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of a liner assembly in accordance withthis invention, and

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the liner assembly shown in FIG. 6,taken along line 7-7.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS It should be understood thatFIGS. 1 to 5 which are intended to facilitate understanding of theprinciple of 3 a clamping means in accordance with this invention havebeen considerably exaggerated and simplified.

In FIG. 1 a section of a railway track is shown and referred togenerally by reference numeral 1. Element 2 represents a structure towhich it is desired to clamp the rails of track 1 by means of a clampingdevice 3.

The clamping device 3 consists of a generally rectangular framestructure 4 provided with front and rear wedge means 5 and 6. Each wedgemeans has a pair of downwardly projecting teeth 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b. Theteeth 7a, 7b of the front wedge means 5 present a pair of rail engagingsurfaces 9 and 10 which face generally outwardly of the liner assemblyand project at a wedging angle a towards the inner edges of the rails.The corresponding rail engaging surfaces 11 and 12 of the teeth 8a, 8bof the rear wedge means 6 face inwardly of the rails and project towardsthe outer edges of the rails at a wedging angle which is preferablyequal to angle on.

As can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 4, the rail engaging surfaces 9, 11 and10, 12, when in contact with the rails, define V-shaped formations 14a,14b whose apices are directly above the rails. By comparison of FIGS. 2and 4 it will be seen that the distance between the apices of theV-shaped formations 14a, 1417, which corresponds to the rail spacing,can be varied from a value d to a value of d by tilting the frame 4 fromthe positions of FIG. 3 to that of FIG. 5. Thus, by simply adjusting theangular position of the frame structure 4 about a horizontal transverseaxis or, in more general terms, by adjusting the relative verticalposition of the wedge means 5 and 6, the teeth 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b which arefixedly spaced apart relative to one another, can positively engage theinner and outer edges of both rails for any value of rail spacingbetween d and d This accommodation for variation of rail spacing withoutchanging the distance between the teeth at each side of the frame 4, ismade possible by the fact that the rail engaging surfaces 9 and 10 areconvergent while the rail engaging surfaces 11 and 12 are divergent,which enables adjustment of the position on each rail engaging surface9, 10, 11, 12 of the line of contact thereof with a rail edge. In factwhen all four teeth are in contact with the rail the mean value of thedistance between the lines of contact of teeth 7a and 7b and of thedistance between the lines of contact of teeth 8a and 8b equals the meanspacing of the rails of the track. This adjustment takes placeautomatically if the frame structure 4 is free to pivot as at 13.

In addition to teeth 9, 10, 11 and 12 two extra teeth 15 and 16 can bemounted opposite teeth 11 and 12 and shown in chain lines in FIG. 2.These extra teeth are spaced apart from teeth 11 and 12 so that theyengage the inner edges of the rails only when the frame ,4 is tilted tothe maximum rearward angular position illustrated in FIG. 3, i.e. theposition of the frame which corresponds to the track gauge d Similarlythe front wedge means 5 can be provided with two extra teeth 17 and 18which would contact the outer edges of the rails when the frame 7 is inthe maximum forward angular position as shown in FIG. 5, i.e. thatcorresponds to the widest possible rail spacing d Referring now to FIGS.6 and 7 there is represented a liner assembly 20 in accordance with thisinvention which is mounted on a track maintenance vehicle represented byframe member 21. The liner assembly 20 comprises clamping means 23, andmeans 22 for displacing the clamping means 23 on the vehicle towards andaway from the track 1 to cause engagement and disengagement of theclamping means with the rails of the track 1. The liner assembly 20 alsocomprises reciproacting means 24 which is adapted to shift the clampingmeans 23 sideways relative to the vehicle.

The clamping means 23 which is adapted to confine the rails 1 againstlateral displacement relative to one another comprises a frame structure25 and wedge means 26 depending from each transversely extending side ofthe frame structure 25. The frame structure 25 is a generallyrectangular assembly which essentially comprises two transverselyextending frame members 27 and 28 which are rigidly interconnected in aparallel spaced apart relationship, and from which depend the wedgemeans 26. The wedge means 26a of the frame member 27 has inner teeth 30and 31 which are disposed inwardly of the rails of track 1, while thewedge means 26b of the frame member 28 has outer teeth 32 and 33 whichare disposed outwardly of the rails of the track 1. These teeth shouldbe sufficient in most cases but as was mentioned hereinbefore inconnection with FIGS. 1 to 5 additional teeth 30', 31, 32' and 33 couldbe added which would contact the rails only in the extreme angularpositions of the frame structure 25 and therefore only at minimum andmaximum rail spacing.

The means 22 which allows for vertical displacement of the linerassembly 20 comprises a pair of hydraulic jacks 40 each of which isconnected at the upper end to a bracket 41 by means of a sphericalbearing 42, and at the lower end to a coupling 43 which has a sphericalbearing connection 44 with the jack 40 and also allows pivotal movementof the frame structure 25 about pivot pin 45 of a pivotal connection 46.

The reciproacting means 24 which causes lateral displacement of theclamping means 23 comprises a further hydraulic jack whose cylinder 51is rigidly secured to the frame structure 25, and whose piston rods 52and 53 are linked to the frame of the vehicle. The piston rods 52 and 53are connected to arms 54 and 55 which in turn are pivotally connected tobrackets 56 and 57 of the frame of the track maintenance vehicle.

At each end of the liner assembly the frame structure 25 is providedwith a flanged wheel 60 and 61. Each flanged wheel is rotatably mountedon a vertically displaceably sub-frame 62 which is in sliding engagementwith pins 63 of the frame structure 25. A pair of coil springs 64 areprovided between the top surface of the sub-frame 62 and the lowersurface of the member of the frame structure 25 that holds the pins 63.The coil springs 64, which in fact are compressed between the rails andthe frame structure 25 in the position shown in FIG. 7, tend to separatethe frame structure 25 from the sub-frame 62 in the vertical direction.This arrangement of flanged wheels mounted on springs has threefunctions namely centering the frame structure 25 with the rails of thetrack 1 during movement of the vehicle, preventing accidental positiveengagement of the teeth with the rails during movement of the vehicle,and causing the front teeth 30 and 31 to be the first ones to engage therails upon initial lowering of the liner assembly towards the rails.

The first and the second functions greatly simplify the control meansfor the operation of the liner assembly. In fact with the flanges on thewheels 60, 61 it is no longer necessary to use rail seeking means tocontrol the lateral position of the frame structure 25 as the vehiclemoves from one track section to another for alignment; and with thesprings which maintain the clamping means slightly above the rails whenthe pressure in jacks 40 is reduced, e.g. during motion of the vehicle,there is no need for release means which are required when articulatedjaws are used, for unclamping the clamping means after each aligningoperation. The third function is caused by the fact that the pivotconnection 46 of the jack 40 with the frame structure 25 is in avertical plane which is forward of the vertical plane that contains theaxis of the wheels 60, 61. Thus downward movement of the coupling 43tilts the frame structure 25 forwardly about the axes of wheels 60 and'61 and causes the front teeth 30 and 31 to contact the inner edges ofthe rails. After contact of teeth 30, 31, further downward motion ofcoupling 43 pivots the frame structure 25 in the opposite directionabout the front teeth 30 and 31 until teeth 32 and 33 contact the outeredges of the rails of track 1.

Thus it will be seen a liner assembly is provided which incorporates atleast four rail engaging surfaces for providing a four point wedgeengagement with a pair of rails, in which the wedge means are part of asturdy generally rectangular frame structure which has no movable partsand yet which can accommodate for normal variation in rail spacing.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. For use on a railway maintenance machine a liner assembly forhorizontally aligning the rails of a track comprising a frame; means formounting said frame on said machine including means for displacing theframe generally vertically and means for displacing the frame laterallyof said machine; a pair of inner teeth depending from said frame in afixed transversely spaced apart relationship on one side of said frame,each inner tooth presenting a rail engaging surface which is arranged toproject at a wedging angle towards the inner edge of a rail; and a pairof outer teeth depending from said frame in a fixed transversely spacedapart relationship on the other side of said frame, each outer toothpresenting a rail engaging surface which is arranged to project at awedging angle towards the outer edge of a rail; said frame being free torock about a horizontal axis transverse to said track, thereby, uponlowering of said frame structure into engagement with said track, toallow said frame to assume an angular position in which the mean valveof the two distances between the rail engaging regions of the engagingsurfaces of said pairs of inner and outer teeth equals the spacing ofthe rails of the track being clamped.

2. A liner assembly as defined in claim '1 additionally comprising aflanged wheel mounted at each end of said frame and adapted to roll onsaid rails thereby to cause continuous centering of said frame withrespect to the track.

3. A liner assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said wheels are springsuspended onto said frame so as to urge said teeth away from the rails.

4. A liner assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein on at least one sideof said frame a second pair of teeth is provided which presents a secondpair of engaging surfaces adapted to co-operate with the first mentionedpair thereof to engage the inner and outer edges of the rails of a trackhaving a predetermined rail spacing.

5. A liner assembly a defined in claim 1 wherein the rocking axis isparallel to, and located between, two vertical planes containing saidteeth.

6. A liner assembly according to claim 5 comprising a rail engagingwheel at each end of the frame which is resiliently mounted on the frameto urge the teeth away from the rails, said rocking axis being coaxialwith the rotational axes of said Wheel.

7. A liner assembly according to claim 6 wherein means is provided formoving the frame downwardly with respuect to said wheel and said rails,said means acting in a vertical plane between said rocking axis and onepair of teeth whereby said one pair of teeth contacts the rails beforethe other pair of teeth.

OTHELL M. SIMPSON, Primary Examiner D. R. MELTON, Assistant Examiner

